Iran Premier League faces uncertainty over spectator attendance

The 2025‑2026 season of Iran's Premier League is set to begin on 23 Mordad (23 August), but the final decision on whether matches will be played behind closed doors remains pending. Club Esteghlal’s chairman has warned that holding games without fans would undermine the league’s appeal and its bid to host Asian Football Confederation events, urging the federation to reconsider.

Esteghlal’s upcoming home fixture against newly promoted Mes Shahr‑e Babak may be staged at two possible venues: Pas Qavamin Stadium in Tehran, which could host a match without spectators, or the Shahid Qods Stadium in the city of Qods, where fan attendance would be allowed. League officials, including Amirhossein Roshanak, have confirmed both stadiums meet the technical requirements, but a definitive announcement on the spectator policy has not yet been issued.